I found out that June 18 is Autistic Pride Day. I would like to thank Bulitas for informing us about it through Plurk.

So where did the celebration for the Autistic Pride Day originated?

The autism rights group Aspies For Freedom initiated it with the goal of educating people about autism and stop the ignorance about the condition. The first ever major event was held in Brasilia, Brazil with the theme “Acceptance, Not Cure“. In 2006, the Autistic Summer Pride Camp took place in Germany with the theme “Celebrate Neurodiversity” and in 2007, the theme is “Autism Speak: Time To Listen“.

I am not really sure if Autism groups activists in the Philippines do recognize this day, but I am glad that there are some individuals in other parts of the world who sees autism not as a “disease”, but as a “difference”.

Here’s my second attempt to have a video blog with Carlo. The video was taken last February 8, 2008 using the built-in Acer Crystal Eye Webcam.

Before we went to Manila, I wrote an entry on my personal blog about my temporary farewell to Dagupan. I went back home after three weeks.

Lolo, Ate Virgie and Carlo went to the airport on February 10 and safely arrived in Birmingham airport on February 12. A few days after, i wrote an emotional entry about my real feelings towards Carlo. I remember crying like a little kid while writing that entry. tsktsk

A month after, Carlo improved a lot already. He is really destined to go there and be a better person.

“That’s my brother” I said

“Wow, you do really love him, don’t you?” he asked.

“Yes, I really love him” I replied back.

This is not the first time a stranger asked me who the cute boy in my wallpaper was. There was an incident wherein someone thought that the boy in my wallpaper is my “son” (In that case, there is a possibility that I got pregnant at the tender age of 7 LOL). One also thought he is my boyfriend (it is the picture where he’s wearing bonnet and sando – he looked like a real teenager in that photo!).
I have also encountered some blog readers of mine in my other blog on why am I so attached to him.

The reason is very simple: Because he is very special.

If Carlo was a normal kid, he would probably be in first year high school this coming June. I’m quite sure that a lot of girls will have a big crush on him because he is really cute (I’m not saying this because he’s my brother – I’m stating facts LOL) and because most of boys his age have girlfriends already, he might also have one.

Since he is enrolled in a special school, he is exposed to a limited number of children his age. I remember the first time he went to a regular pre-school when he was four years old. We were all excited and I even prepared his baon for him. I bought a lot of crayons and notebooks. I was in high school that time that’s why I can easily peep on their classroom and observe him.

Unfortunately, my brother would rather draw and color on one side of the classroom that to socialize with other kids. He finds it hard to play with them and some of his classmates make fun of him because of his “unusual behaviors”.

That particular situation saddened me. I talked to my mom and dad about it and they told me to just give this normal school thing a try since we don’t have SPED schools in Dagupan during that time.
I also experienced being humiliated by own classmates. I was in first year that time. Carlo saw me and went up to me and grabbed my baon. I gave it to him so that he won’t throw tantrums, yet he was noisy and he keeps on insisting on buying some chips. Since I don’t have enough money, I tried to cover his mouth. My classmates laughed at us instead of helping me out. That particular person uttered a very hurtful statement that I don’t really want to post in here at the moment.

To be honest, dealing with Carlo in public especially when he was a little kid was very hard for me. I think because of this experience, a lot of siblings of autistic children tend to develop a gap with their special brother/sister which is wrong.

You must keep in mind that if you have a special sibling, you have to accept the condition of your brother/sister. You must not disown or neglect him/her because you are one of the few persons who can give him/her the love that he/she needs. Be open with the fact that there’s no cure for autism yet. What you can do right now is to give him a dose of love and make him/her feel that he is not an outcast. Sino pa ang magmamahal at makakaintindi sa kanya kundi ikaw lang, diba?